verse 1:
I never had a dog when I was younger
I begged and I tried
I yelled and I cried
I said I would strike with my hunger
So I scrimped and I saved
but my mom never caved
to any of the songs that I sung her

chorus:
So I'll drink on to the dog I never had
I'll drink one to the tears I cried when my dream dog died
I'll drink one more to the puppy in the store
I'll drink one to the dog I never had

verse 2:
Cooper is the name I would've gave him
He lays 'round all day
at night he wants to play
and he slobbers for the rawhide he's cravin'
He comes when I call
and he barks when I bawl
and he whimpers when I catch him misbehavin'

chorus:
So I'll drink on to the dog I never had
I'll drink one to the tears I cried when my dream dog died
I'll drink one more to the puppy in the store
I'll drink one to the dog I never had

verse 2:
But Cooper, like every dog, dies
Older and tired
after ten litters sired
His leash still brings tears to my eyes
Miles he'd run
and rivers he'd swum
before he went to that white lodge in the sky

chorus:
So I'll drink on to the dog I never had
I'll drink one to the tears I cried when my dream dog died
I'll drink one more to the puppy in the store
I'll drink one to the dog I never had

I'll drink one more to the dog who won the war
I'll drink one to the dog I never had
I'll drink one more to even the score
I'll drink one to the dog I never had
I'll drink one to the dog I wish I'd had